Postby MagnoliaMum » Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:23 am
My sympathies; I can understand you're feeling really worried.
I've had 4 over the years, each with no ill effects. The procedure takes less than a minute and is uncomfortable rather than painful.
My tips would also be not to look at the needle in any circumstances - explain your anxiety to the doctor and shut your eyes. Focusing on breathing really helped for me too - practise beforehand breathing in and out slowly and tensing and relaxing different areas of your body. The more relaxed your stomach, the softer it will be for doing the procedure and the less discomfort you'll feel. Concentrating on slow breathing should help with your anxiety too - try breathing in to a count of 7 or in time with a slow tune in your head. Inhaling lavender oil from a tissue is good too.
And make sure you give yourself a bit of time off afterwards. You'll feel emotionally drained, maybe a little sore at the site and it's best to rest up for the first 24 hours. Very best of luck, and wishing you a good outcome and pregnancy xx